Spring-cultivator.



J. HAGEDORN.

SPRING GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION rmm M12124, 1907.

Patented De0.8, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@Vivtmesow J. HAGBDORN. SPRING OULTIVATOR. APPLICATION FILED $11214,1907.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908;

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

NORRiS r nrsns cm, wAsumcroN 11 c.

J. HAGEDORN. SPRING GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1901. 906,41 4. Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JOHN HAGEDORN, OF SALEM, MISSOURI.

SPRING-CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. s, 1908.

Application filed September t, 1907. Serial No. 391,371.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that i, Jenn l-laenoonn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salem, in the county of Dent and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Spring-Cultivator, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in cultivators.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofcultivators, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive oneof great strength and durability, designed particularly for use on rockyand stumpy ground, and having resilient cultivating devices, which willnot be broken should they come in contact with a rock or stump.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cultivator of thischaracter, capable of lateral movement and adapted to be easily shiftedfrom one side to the other for dodging corn, or a stump, and also formoving it upward when cultivating a hillside,-whereby the cultivator isprevented from slipping down the same.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a cultivator, which,should any of its parts become broken, may be readily repaired by anordinary blacksmith, so as to avoid the inconvenience and expense ofshipping the cultivator, or any portion thereof back to the factory forrepair.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the.

scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cultivator,constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of thecultivator. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a detailsectional view, illustrating the manner of mounting the springcultivating devices. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view ofone side of the main frame, illustrating the construction andarrangement of the caster wheel for supporting the same. Fig. 7 is aside elevation of the cultivator, the trans verse supporting bar beinginterposed between the caster wheel frames and the main frame tointerlock the same and to support the cultivating devices above theground. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation, partly in section.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the draw mgs.

The main frame of the machine, which is preferably constructed of acombination of wood and metal, is provided with front and rearcontinuous top transverse bars 1 and 2 and front and rear bottomtransverse bars 3 and 4, arranged in pairs and located at opposite sidesof the center of the cultivator, and connected with the top transversebars by means of front and rear arches 5 and 6. The top transverse bars,which extend entirely across the cultivator, are connected at theirterminals by longitudinal end bars 7, and the bottom transverse bars arealso connected at their outer ends by longitudinal end bars 8. Thetransverse bars and the said end bars are preferably constructed ofwood, such as well seasoned oak, or other suitable material, and the toptransverse bars are connected by contrally arranged diagonal braces 9and metallic longitudinal bars 10, located adjacent to the wooden endbars 7, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The diagonallyarranged braces, which are crossed beneath the rear portion of acentrally arranged draft beam or tongue 11, are secured at theirterminalsto the lower faces of the top transverse bars, and they preventthe top of the main frame from sagging.

The front and rear arches, which are constructed of metal, have upwardlyand inwardly inclined sides and side connecting top portions, which aresecured to the lower faces of the top transverse bars by the bolts 12and 13, or other suitable fastening devices, which also secure the rearportion of the draft beam or tongue to the top transverse bars. Thedraft beam or tongue is recessed at its lower face to receive the toptransverse bars, and it assists in bracing the top of the main frame.The arches are provided at the lower ends of their sides with outwardlyextending transverse portions or arms 14 and 15, arranged at the upperfaces of the bottom transverse bars and reinforcing the same, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. The top and bottom transversebars are connected at the sides of the cultivator by means of front andrear vertical bars or members 16 and 17, 1 and it permits the front endof the main lonhaving their upper and lower terminals bent at rightangles and secured to the top and bottom transverse bars. The bottomtransverse bars are connected adjacent to the end bar 8 by metallicbraces 18, which correspond in arrangement to the upper metallic bars orbraces 10. The metallic portions of the main frame are designed to beconstructed of malleable metal, or other suitable material and they maybe varied in size to provide a frame of the desired strength. Also theyare adapted to be readily replaced by an ordinary blacksmith, should anyof the parts become broken.

The cultivator is provided at each side with a plurality of springcultivating devices, which are adapted to yield to prevent injury tothem should they strike a stump or rock. In the accompanying drawings,the cultivator is equipped with two of these cultivating devices at eachside of the main frame, but three or more may be employed, as will bereadily understood. The inner cultivat ing devices 19 carry shovels 20,which are arranged in advance of the shovels 21 of the outer cultivatingdevices 22, but the cultivating devices may be reversed as they aredetachable and adjustable, as hereinafter more fully explained. Eachspring cultivating device consists of a main longitudinal spring 23 anda rear bracing spring 24, as 0 early illustrated in Fig. 6 of thedrawings. The main longitudinal spring has its front portion 25 curvedupwardly, and its rear portion 26 is curved downwardly, the intermediateconnecting portion 27 being approximately straight. The front end of thelongitudinal spring 23 is bent at an angle, and is secured to the lowerface of the front bottom transverse bar 3 by a bolt 28, but the frontend of the spring 23 is adapted to be arranged at either the upper orlower face of the bar 3 to adjust the rear end of the cultivatingdevice. The rear spring 24 is pro vided with a substantiallysemi-circular front portion 29, extending upwardly from the mainlongitudinal spring at a point near the center thereof and secured atits upper end to the lower face of the rear transverse bottom bar 4 by abolt 31. The rear spring is also provided with a straight intermediateportion 32 and a downwardly curved rear portion 33, which fits thestraight rear portion 27 and the downwardly curved portion 26 of themain longitudinal spring 23 to re inforce the same and to provide aresilient cultivating device of great strength and durability. Theresiliency of the cultivating device, however, may be increased byomitting the straight portion 32 and the downwardly curved rear portion33 of the rear spring. The rear spring 24 forms a yieldable connectionbetween the main longitudinal spring and the rear transverse bottom bar,

I gitudinal spring to be arranged on either the upper or lower face ofthe front transverse bottom bar 3. By transferring the front end of themain longitudinal spring 23 from the bottom to the top of the bar 3, therear end ofthe cultivating device is thrown downward in the direction ofthe ground, and a reverse movement of the front end of the mainlongitudinal portion 23 operates to raise the rear end of thecultivating device. The cultivating devices may be equipped with anypreferred form of soil-engaging device, and the blades or shovels may bearranged to throw the soil in either direction. The bottom transversebars and the laterally extending arms or portions of the front and reararches are provided at intervals with perforations 34 and 35, to permitthe cultivating devices to be adjusted toward and from each other, andto be arranged either in parallelism with the tongue or at an angle tothe same. l/Vhen the cultivating devices are arranged in parallelismwith the beam, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, corn can becultivated without ridging the ground, which will be left level. Theblades or shovels are detachably secured to the rear ends of thecultivating devices, and are adapted to be readily removed to sharpen 5them or for any other purpose.

The sets of cultivating devices are connected by transverse and diagonalbraces 36 and 37, secured to the cultivating devices at the intermediatestraight portions of the springs by bolts, or other suitable fasteningdevices and provided with a plurality of perforations to permit thelateral adjustment of the cultivating devices. The diagonal braces 37extend rearwardly and laterally from the inner ends of the transversebraces 36 to the outer cultivating devices, and their rear ends aresecured to the same at the rear terminals of the straight portions ofthe springs thereof.

The cultivator is provided at opposite sides of the center with fenderblades 38, arranged in spaced relation, as clearly illustrated in Figs.3 and 4 of the drawings, and adapted to prevent the cultivator fromthrowing the soil upon and injuring the young plants. The fenders areprovided at their front ends with arms 29, having laterally extendingtop portions 40, which are adjustably secured to the front transversebottom bars 3, suitable perforations being provided for securing thefront ends of the longitudinal springs to the said bars 3. Thisconstruction permits the fender blades to be arranged the desireddistance apart.

The main frame of the cultivator is supported by caster wheels 41,mounted on suitable aXles 42 of approximately triangular frames 43,consisting of a longitudinal top bar 44, depending rear arms 45 andinclined braces 46, extending upwardly from the lower ends of the reararms 15 to the front end of The front end of the top bar l the top bar4a. or is provided with a perforation through which passes a verticallyadjustable rod 47. The vertically adjustable rod 47, which is mounted inopenings of the top and bottom end bars of the main frame of thecultivator, forms a pivot for the triangular frame of the caster wheels.The triangular frame is shiftable transversely of the main frame, and itis provided at its back with an upwardly extending arm or post elS,having its upper end bifurcated and receiving an anti-friction wheel Thean frietion wheel is mounted on a suitable axle er spindle 50, and itengages an arcuate track or guide 51, secured to the bottom end bar 8 ofthe main frame and extending from opposite sides thereof. Theanti-friction wheel -19 is adapted to run on the curved track when thetriangular frame is shifted in either direction, and it constitutes afulcrum or bearing for the main frame to enable the latter to be tiltedbackwardly or forwardly, and it sustains the weight of the cultivatorand releases the necks of the draft animals. The terminals of the curvedtracks or guides are bent downwardly to form depending steps 51, whichare arranged in the path of the anti-friction wheels 50 to limit therelative lateral movement of the caster wheels and to prevent theanti-friction device from leaving the tracks or guides. These curvedtracks or guides may be of any desired length, and they may be braced atthe terminals by inclined rods or bars, extending upwardly from theguides or tracks to the main frame, or they may be strengthened orreinforced in any other preferred manner.

The lower end of the rod 117 passes through the front end of the top baror member of the triangular frame, and it receives an eye of the lowerend of a rod 53, which connects the front of the triangular frame withan adjusting lever 04. The adjusting lever 5%, which extendslongitudinally of the culti vator, fulcrumed at an intermediate pointon. bolt 55, which pierces the levcr and the front vertical bar ormember 16. The rear vertical bar or member is equipped with a suitableratchet 56, which is engaged by pawl or d og 57 of the adjusting lever,whereby the latter is secured in its adjustment. A coiled spring 58,which is disposed on the lower portion of the rod 47, is interposed between the front of the triangular frame and the lower face of the bottomend bar 8 to facilitate the adjustmentof the cultivator. By raising andlowering the rear end of the adjusting lever, the main frame of thecultivator is tilted backwardly or forwardly on the anti-friction deviceof the caster wheel frame. This will throw the shovels, or othersoil-engaging devices into or out of the ground, and the adjustment maybe effected while the cultivator is in operation and without stoppingand resetting the cultivating devices. The rear end of the adjustinglever is shaped into a suitable handle 58, and the pawl or dog 57 isalso provided with an operating arm or handle 59, arranged adjacent tothe grip or handle of the adjusting lever. The front portion of theadjusting lever is provided with a slot 60, through which the verticallymovable rod 1-7 passes. The caster wheel enables the cultivator to beshifted laterally for dodging corn or stumps, and also for moving itupwardly while cullivatin on a hillside, whereby the cultivator isprevented from slipping down the hill.

The cultivator is provided with a pair of adjustable handles lSl,mounted on and extending across the space between the top trans, crsebars 1 and 2. The front ends of the handles are secured to the fronttransverse bar 1 by means of bolts, or other suitable fastening devices,and the intermediate portions of the handles are adjust-ably connectcdwith the rear transverse bar 2 by means of angle plates or brackcts 62,secured to the upper face of the said bar 2 and having upwardlyextending arms provided with a plurality of perforations 63 for thereception of bolts 64, or other suitable fastening devices By thlsconstruction the handles may be ra Ell or lowered to arrange them tosuit either a boy or a man. By pressing down on the handles thecultivator may be tilted on the castcrwhcels to force the cultivatingdevices into the ground.

The draft animals are hitched to swingletrees 65, which are secured tothe lower ends of the approximately vertical levers 66, connected attheir upper ends to and depending from an equalizing bar or member (37.The depending levers (56 are connected at an intermediate point with thefront vertical bars or members .6 of the main frame by links 6?. Theequalizing bar or member is pivoted to the lower face of the draft beamor tongue by a bolt 69, and it is supported by a transverse bar 70,connected with the top of the main frame by a short central brace Tl andwith the bottom of the main frame by side braces 72. The :eide braces72, which are disposed longitudinally of the cultivator, extend acrossthe space between the front and rear bottom transverse bars and aresuitably sccurcd to the same to brace the depending sidc portions of themain frame. The front portions of the ln'accs 72 extend upwardly and aresecured to the terminals of the supporting bar at the lower facethereof. The equalizing (lOvlCP enables the draft animals, when drawingthe cultivator, to move backwardly and forwardly with relation to eachother without twisting the (ailtivator.

When it is desired to transfer the cultivator from. one field or placeto another, the

cultivating devices are elevated above the ground and the caster wheelsare held against lateral movement relative to the main frame. This iseffected by means of a transversely disposed supporting bar or bolster73, designed to be cons JIUOlZGCl of any suitable ma terial and adaptedto be interposed between the top of the caster Wheel frames and thebottom of the main frame. The transverse bar or bolster 73 provided atits ends with upwardly and downwardly projecting arms or portions 7e and75, and they are fitted against the upwardly extending posts or arms 48of the caster wheel frames. The upwardly extending arms or portions 7 lof the transverse bar or bolster 73 fit against the lower faces of theend bar 8 of the main frame, and they are provided at the outer edges ofthe latter with upwardly projecting lugs 76. The upwardly extending armsare also provided with projecting studs or pins 77, which fit inperforations 78 of the lower end bar 8, whereby the transverse bar orbolster 73 is detachably interlocked with the main frame. The lower ordownwardly extending arms or portions 75 are provided with recesses 79,forming forks or portions, which straddle the lon gitudinal top bar ofthe caster wheel frames, whereby the latter are interlocked with thesupporting bar or bolster 73. The supporting bar or bolster is adaptedto hold the cultivating devices above the ground, as clearly illustratedin Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, and the caster wheel frames arerigidly connected with the main frame. The supporting bar or bolster isdetachably secured to the upwardly extending arms or posts 48 of thecaster wheel frames by means of hooks 80, secured to the bar or bolster73 and engaging lugs or projections 81, located at the outer side facesof the posts or arms 48, but any other preferred fastening means may beem ployed for detachably securing the bar or bolster 73 in itsinterlocked relation with the main frame and the caster wheel frames.

The cultivator may be equipped with a seat for the accommodation of thedriver, and instead of employing the blades 21, other forms ofcultivating devices may be used. Also the machine may be equipped with acentral cultivating device for use when the fenders are not employed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame embodying acontinuous transversely disposed horizontal top portion extendingentirely across the cultivator, spaced bottom portions, and front andrear arches connecting the top and bottom portions of 'the frame, andcultivating devices connected with the spaced bottom portions of theframe.

2. In acultivator, the combination of a 1 main frame embodying acontinuous transverse top portion, spaced bottom portions, front andrear arches connecting the inner ends of the bottom portions of theframe with the top portion of the same, and front and rear vertical barsconnecting the outer ends of the bottom portions of the frame with theends of the top portions of the same, and cultivating devices connectedwith the bottom portions of the frame.

3. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame embodying continuoustransverse top bars, spaced front and rear bottom transverse barsarranged in pairs, braces connecting the front and rear transverse bars,front and rear arches connecting the inner ends of the bottom transversebars with the central portions of the top transverse bars, and barsconnecting the outer portions of the bottom transverse bars with theinner portions of the top transverse bars, and cultivating devicescarried by the frame and connected with the bottom bars thereof.

4. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, cultivating devicesmounted on the main frame, handles extending from the said frame, andcaster wheels located at the opposite sides of and supporting the mainframe and forming a fulcrum for the same to permit the main frame to betilted backwardly and forwardly to control the cultivating devices.

5. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame provided withrearwardly extending handles, cultivating devices mounted on the mainframe, and caster wheels located at opposite sides of and supporting themain frame and forming a fulcrum for the same to permit the main frameto be tilted backwardly and forwardly to control the cultivatingdevices, said caster wheels being also pivotally connected at the frontof the main frame to permit the same to be shifted laterally.

6. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, cultivating devicesmounted on the main frame, laterally shiftable frames located atopposite sides of and connected with the main frame, caster wheelsmounted on the laterally shiftable frames, and means carried by thelaterally shiftable frames for supporting and fulcruming the main frame,the latter being tiltable backwardly and forwardly to control thecultivating devices.

7. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame provided at oppositesides with curved tracks, laterally shiftable frames pivotally mountedon the main frame and provided with supporting means receiving the saidtracks, and caster wheels mounted on the laterally shiftable frames.

8. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, laterally shiftableframes pivotally connected with the main frame, antifriction wheelsmounted on the laterally shiftable frames in rear of the pivotal points,tracks secured to the main frame and supported by the anti-frictionwheels, and caster wheels mounted in the laterally shiftable frames.

9. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, a verticallymovable rod mounted on the main frame, a caster wheel connected with therod, and an operating lever fulcrumed on the main frame and alsoconnected. with the rod.

10. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, a verticallymovable rod mounted on the main frame, a caster wheel connected wit-hthe rod, an operating lever fulcrumed on the main frame and alsoconnected with the rod, and a coiled spring mounted on the rod forcushioning the main frame.

11. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, a verticallymovable rod meunted on the main frame, laterally shiftable framepivotally connected with the main frame by the said rod and providedwith means located in rear of the red for supporting the main frame, aspring interposed be tween the laterally shiftable frame and the mainframe, an operating lever fulerumed on the main frame and connected withthe laterally shiftable frame, and means for securing the lever in itsadjustment.

12. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame having a curvedtrack, a laterally shiftable frame extending longitudinally of the mainframe and provided with an antifriction device supporting the track, acaster wheel mounted in the laterally shiftable frame and locatedbeneath the anti-friction device, a rod connecting the laterallyshiftable frame with the main frame, and a lever mounted on the mainframe and connected with the laterally shiftable frame for adjusting theformer.

13. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, a laterallyshiftable frame located beneath and extending longitudinally of the mainframe, a caster wheel mounted in the laterally shiftable frame, meanscarried by the laterally shiftable frame for supporting the main frame,a rod mounted on the main frame and forming a pivot for the laterallyshiftable frame, a lever fulcrumed on the main frame and provided at itsfront portion with an opening receiving the said rod, means forconnecting the front end of the le ver with the laterally shiftableframe, and means for holding the rear arm of the lever for securing thelatter in its adjustment.

14. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, wheels supportingthe main frame and forming a fulcrum for the same, handles secured attheir front ends to the main frame and extending rearwardly therefromand adapted to tilt the frame on the said wheels, and angle lates orbrackets mounted on the main frame and having means for adjustablysupporting the handles, whereby the latter are rigidly connected withthe main frame and are adapted to be raised and lowered.

15. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, cultivatingdevices connected therewith, caster wheel frames provided with casterwheels and located at opposite sides of and supporting the main frame,and a removable supporting bar or bolster interposed between the casterwheel frames and the main frame for holding the cultivating devicesabove the ground.

16. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, cultivatingdevices connected therewith, caster wheel frames provided with casterwheels and located at opposite sides of and supporting the main frame,and a sup porting bar or bolster interposed between the caster wheelframes and the main frame and interlocked with the same for rigidlyconnecting the said frames, said bar or bolster also serving to supportthe cultivating devices in an elevated position above the ground.

17. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame, laterallyshiftable frames lo cated at opposite sides of and pivotally connectedwith the main frame, cultivating devices carried by the main frame, atransverse bar or bolster provided at its ends with upwardly anddowmvardly extending portions interlocked with the main frame and thelaterally shiftable frames, and means for securing the bar or bolster inits interlocked relation with the main frame.

18. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame provided at thebottom with perforations, laterally shiftable frames supporting the mainframe, a supporting bar or bolster interposed between the said framesand providedwith upwardly extending arms having projecting pins forengaging the perforations of the main frame and provided with lugs alsoengaging the main frame, and means forsecuring the bar or bolster inplace.

19. In a cultivator, the combination of a main frame provided at thebottom with perforations, laterally shiftable frames supporting the mainframe, a supporting bar or bolster interposed between the said framesand having depending arms or portions having recesses to receive thelaterally shiftable frames, said bar or bolster being interlocked withthe main frame, and means for securing the bar or bolster in engagementwith the main and shiftable frames.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN naennomv.

Witnesses:

W. P. Emma, W. J. Emma,

